


The Stories We tell Ourselves

by ohmyvantas



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dave is basically Rapunzel, Dragons, Everyone Is Gay, Kingdomstuck, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Will add ships/characters as they become relevant, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-01-09 22:57:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12285999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmyvantas/pseuds/ohmyvantas
Summary: Dave was silent.YES. YOU.The voice answered him before he even had a chance to speak up and voice his confusion or curiosity with a lack of delicacy only a child was capable of. It had a harsh way of speaking, brash enough to be rude and so loud the sound of his voice practically echoed off his skull. In it he could feel the rich, crimson flow of blood, the drip, drip, of molten lava degrading stone so ancient not even the gods of old would have lived to see it form. A being so old, so vast, that even to speak his name would grant one with immeasurable power. It made him shudder, little hands clenching into fists against rough stone.HUMAN CHILD.In which Dave is alone and Dragons exist.Shenanigans ensue.





	1. Prologue- Don't you listen to the never

Ordinarily, a growing boy would be expected to spend most of his time indulging in great, fortuitous explorations. Slogging through dirt and mud, antagonizing his sister with frogs and bugs or perhaps bringing childish tears to her eyes when he smeared the delicately woven hair of her favorite doll with dirt. Children were expected to run and play; to fumble about with noisy feet and loud voices that would have their mothers shushing them endlessly. For better or for worse, the youngest Strider boy hadn’t been given the chance to do any of those things. At least, not once the treachery of others would do away with what remained of his childhood. A child with pretty eyes and a spirit too bright to last, done away with and snatched from those who cared enough to see him grow into the young man that would bring peace to a nation.

The first time he’d caught sight of pewter scales glinting against bright, warm summer sunlight, his twelfth birthday had already come and gone. Stood on his toes to peer over the edge of stone railing of his balcony, bright, curious eyes watched as a magnificent beast only to be seen in the pages of his storybooks owned the sky just beyond the valley, powerful wings working against the wind with a gracefulness that little boy could only _dream_ of. There was a stack of papers and drawing chalk on the floor just beside his bed, most of which were full of childish scribbles of the Dragon he’d only seen from across the valley, where it circled the tall, tall trees and descended towards the far-off lake, only to glide along it’s surface, wing-tips just barely skimming the water. It was the kind of thing Dave could watch for hours given the chance, perched on his little windowsill, wind whipping his pretty blonde locks around.

Nearly a fortnight was spent watching this creature from a distance, scribbling and drawing, scouring every one of his books for even a brief passage on the creatures most thought to be extinct. It was nearly sunset on the fourteenth day when the sound of impact jarred him from his daydreaming, breaking the silence he’d gotten used to in the time spent atop his tower, accomplishing nothing but getting him to jump to his feet. The sound of claws scrabbling against roof-tiles was somewhat concerning, the first thought among many was that some monster had come to eat him, to tear him from relative safety and do dastardly things. That’s what happened to the heros in his storybooks, after all.

There was a big part of him that wanted to run and hide under his bed, even whilst the sound of something _big_ and _probably menacing_ shifted and curled around the top of his tower. He probably would have, if a booming, ancient voice hadn’t intruded upon his private thoughts so suddenly it almost made him jump.

_YOU._

Dave blinked. A pure, childish curiosity scribbled across innocent features as he pressed himself up onto his toes to get a better look at the magnificent beast perched before him. It was then that he caught sight of a pair of bright eyes, bright and as vivid as dripping blood. It was offset by the dark glimmer of black scales, as shiny as polished gold, as dark as a midnight sky. His snout was strong and prideful, in a way that probably would’ve made him laugh if not for the fact that he was stunned silent for the first time in his short life. From here Dave could only see the arch of one wing, as the creature all but dangled off the side of the tower, half curled around the roof with claws scraping at old roof tiles and the brick that comprised the old structure. It was a tenuous grip at the very most, which seemed to contradict the graceful displays he’d seen in the days prior.

Dave was silent.

_YES. YOU._

The voice answered him before he even had a chance to speak up and voice his confusion or curiosity with a lack of delicacy only a child was capable of. It had a harsh way of speaking, brash enough to be rude and so loud the sound of his voice practically echoed off his skull. In it he could feel the rich, crimson flow of blood, the _drip, drip,_ of molten lava degrading stone so ancient not even the gods of old would have lived to see it form. A being so old, so vast, that even to speak his name would grant one with immeasurable power. It made him shudder, little hand clenching into fists against rough stone.

_HUMAN CHILD._

This time, Dave did speak up. As silly as it was, it rubbed him the wrong way to be referred to as nothing more than a child. Even if that’s exactly what he was. “Dave.” He spoke, voice tiny in comparison to the one broadcasted inside his skull. “My name’s Dave.” He clarified, steadier than it perhaps should have been. The beast seemed to consider this, his great, lumberous head tipping to the side a little. A moment later, his voice was in his head again, more aggressive than it had been a moment prior.

_ALRIGHT, HUMAN DAVE. WOULD YOU CARE TO INFORM ME AS TO WHY IN THE ABSOLUTE, EVERLOVING FUCK YOU ARE DIRTYING MY SKY WITH YOUR INFERIOR, SQUISHY PRESENCE._

It sounded more like a demand than it did a question, forceful and undeniable, as if he wouldn’t dare rest until he got to the bottom of this unfathomable mystery. The boy shrugged, crossing his arms in front of him atop of the stone railing and resting his chin on his forearms. It was idle, almost casual, and neither of those things seemed necessarily appropriate when conversing with a being that could stamp out his very existence with nothing more than a breath. Fortunately or unfortunately, Dave never considered himself an especially appropriate person.

“Do I gotta have a reason?” He asked, somewhat skeptical. As if he had a better reason for being hear than some ancient beast with the power to snuff him out without a second glance.  “After all, I _was_ here first.” This comment earned him another puff of hot dragon breath to the face, irritated and indignant in a way that would've been funny if it weren't for the way his eyes narrowed and his voice jostled his mind. 

_I EXISTED FIRST, YOU SNOT-NOSED HATCHLING. I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF YOUR FIXATED LIFESPAN, THIS SKY BELONGS TO ME AND ME ALONE. IF YOU ARE TO REMAIN HERE, YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD FUCKING REASON._

There was a moment of speculative silence, as if this bright-eyed child in the sky hadn’t put much thought towards what exactly _was_ he doing here. There were fading memories of a girl that resembled him in too many ways to count, with eyes as bright as his own and a face that was childishly pudgy. Days spent playing in the courtyard, too engrossed in their games to notice the fretful set of the features of a boy wise far beyond his years.  He had a family, that much he was sure of. Didn’t they care for him? Why had they left him here all alone? With his books and his drawing paper, candles that never seemed bright enough to completely illuminate the little room carved out of the very top of his tower.

There was a door that wouldn’t open no matter how hard he tried to pry at the edges or pound away at the hinges, and when sleep inevitably claimed him there would be a wicker basket just in front of the door, as if it always belonged there. It would be filled with toys, food, clothes,candles, books, drawing paper; anything needed to sustain a small boy trapped atop a tower for years on end. (His storybooks suggested that magic was the only answer, but he couldn’t be sure. More evidence needed.)

This was the moment that such thoughts began to crowd his pretty little head, when a beast so far beyond his comprehension thought to question what business a child had, loitering in his sky, just beyond the southern mountain range. His little brow furrowed and he cocked his head to the side a little, gaze suddenly downcast.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go.” There was another moment of silence, more tense than the last, as if someone had suddenly let all the air out of the room and it was only a matter of time before someone suffocated. When that voice invaded his head again, that little boy peered back up at the beast peaking in his window, puffing warm breath and ruffling his hair.

_VERY WELL. YOU HAVE PROVEN YOURSELF PATHETIC ENOUGH TO AVOID MY ETERNAL WRATH FOR THE PRESENT MOMENT, DO NOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED, OR YOU WILL NOT LIVE TO REGRET IT._

“Sweet.” It was said with a grin, unabashed and unapologetic. “Better watch my step, it’d be pretty lame to meet my end at the hands of smelly dragon breath before I even had the chance to get your name.” It was mostly meant to be teasing in a way that unintentionally proved his utter lack of maturity, poking fun at the dragon clinging to the top of one of the only homes he’d ever known. The dragon spoke again.

_KARKAT._

_YOU CAN CALL ME KARKAT, AND NOTHING MORE, YOU INSOLENT BRAT._

When Dave grinned again, it was bright and childish in a way that would not prove resilient against the harsh reality that would come with growing up. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad now that he had something he’d never had before this moment.

A friend.


	2. Scars we carry

_ WHY WON’T YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE?  _

It was a simple question, yet it hung in the air like an obnoxious odor. Unpleasant, yet impossible to ignore. That was usually the case when it came to Karkat and his chosen topic of discussion, whether it was something to do with the fragility of human existence or whatever mortal creature he had to pick from between his claws earlier that evening. 

“Y’know.” Dave always seemed to speak with a loose tongue, sporting the sort of voice and diction one would come to expect from a peasant or an orphan living in the slums of a poor, grimy village. Karkat often chided him for his relentless mumbling and tendency to monologue when the silence was too much to bare, all but demanding that he speak up and stop meandering. As if it were that easy. “Most people just say hello.” He finished the thought without looking up from the drawing paper beneath his hands, nimble fingers smeared with drying ink and smudged with old charcoal from scratching away at his dwindling pile of paper all afternoon. 

Karkat insisted that far too much of his time was spent perched on that stupid fucking window sill. It wasn’t even so much a window as it was a hole carved out of the stone to let the sunlight in, with a slab of wood wedged between the two outermost stones to serve as a sill. It was just wide enough to sit on without risking a fall. Most of his afternoons were spent sat between wood and stone, with his feet dangling over the edge, munching on an apple or balancing a stack of paper on his knee. 

He’d seen all there was to see in the outstretching valleys and meadows just beyond the base of his tower, sketched the forest to the east and daydreamed about the mountains to the west. All this little corner of the world had to offer was a couple of stray rabbits and a particularly grumpy dragon with a penchant for showing up unannounced. 

Said dragon was currently wrapped around the top of his tower with the sort of grace and absolute lack of foresight he’d come to expect from him. Claws scraped against the weathered stone whilst dark, leathery wings fluttered behind him without intent or direction, as if he’d never bothered to learn how to land on a solid object that wasn’t the approximate size and shape of landing strip. 

Karkat only ever visited in the evenings. He insisted that he actually had a life outside of looming over him and dropping gifts in his lap, as one would expect of a cat that had caught a mouse, dropping it to the feet of its’ human as if this was a trophy to be treasured. When it came to Karkat, it usually was. He would bring bags of coin and dragons treasure, sweets and trinkets that only a beast such as a dragon would’ve found interesting. Most of these were lined up on the rickety shelf above his desk, little pieces of metals with sharp edges, hourglasses without any sand, pocket watches without a minute hand. In the cold season, if he asked nicely enough he would warm his hearth with his breath and bring him patches of warm cloth, furs and thick wools big enough to be used as blankets. Most of his bed was nothing more than a pile of blankets and various other soft things, brought to him with the insistence that even a puny human such as himself should have a decent pile or two.

Dave had long since stopped questioning those little inhuman quirks, as he’d settled on the fact that Karkat was no more than a disgruntled house cat with particularly large teeth and the ability to breathe fire. 

_ HELLO, YOU PUNY EXCUSE FOR A LIFEFORM.  _

If Karkat were human, it was entirely likely that he would be crossing his arms over his chest and kicking at the dirt like a surly child. They both knew exactly why he was here, and there was no use pretending otherwise. Or, Karkat wasn’t likely to let him going on pretending as if this was just any other day, and this was just another visit from an old, life-long friend.

Dave took a moment to pull away from the drawing perched on his knees, a messy charcoal drawing of a dark, obsidian-scaled dragon snuffling through a meadow, as he’d seen Karkat do from his spot in the window too many times to count. He had the sneaking suspicion that if it weren’t for the fact that he was very obviously being watched, Karkat would’ve been rolling around in the tall grass, like a cat in a sunbeam. (If Karkat knew how often he compared him to a finicky feline, he would’ve flayed him alive by now.)

Heaving a sigh, Dave looked at his long time companion for the first time since he’d arrived. The creature in question was peering at the drawing as if he couldn’t contain his curiosity, as if Dave hadn’t readily shown him countless other sketches he’d done of him over the years. The moment he realized he’d been caught, his attention was elsewhere, snuffling indignantly as he tended to do when he was pretending to be a big scary dragon. 

Dave heaved a sigh. 

“Let me guess. You’re about to lecture me on my wasted destiny and all the chances i’ve missed waiting for whatever the fuck you think it is I’m waiting for. Also, you’re sulking because you wanna show off your super cool pile of dragon shit.” He arched an eyebrow, almost missing the indignant puff of warm breath that ruffled his hair, just as it did when he was a starry-eyed child. 

_ HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REITERATE THE FACT THAT I COULD NOT GIVE LESS OF A SINGLE SOLITARY SHIT ABOUT YOUR WITHERING HUMAN DESTINY, BEFORE IT GETS THROUGH YOUR THICK, MAMMALIAN SKULL?  _

_ “ _ At least once more.” Dave shrugged, leaning back to set the messy stack of paper on the nearest flat surface, so as to avoid losing them to the wind.

_ THE ONLY THING YOU’RE WASTING IS WHAT LITTLE TIME YOU HAVE LEFT.  _

“You make it sound as if I’m on death's door, leaning on the doorbell with a bouquet of dying flowers clutched in one, sweaty, mammalian fist.”

_ YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE!  _

Dave snorted. 

It was over dramatic and over the top, as Karkat tended to be when he was being especially stubborn. It was more endearing than it should have been. Apparently he wasn’t taking this seriously enough for him, because his chest rose in a long, slow inhale. The sort of thing you would expect from a mother at the end of her rope, pinching the bridge of her nose, just absolutely fuckin’ beside herself. Karkat was such a mother hen, sometimes. 

_ HEY. SHIT FOR BRAINS.  _

He rolled those pretty red eyes of his, but said nothing.

_ THIS MAY COME AS A SHOCK TO YOUR PUNY HUMAN BRAIN, SO TRY TO HOLD ONTO THOSE FEW REMAINING BRAIN CELLS WHILST I MINDFUCK YOU BACK TO REALITY, BUT I’M BEING FUCKING SERIOUS! _

“I dunno if you noticed, but I’m still a spry young man. I’ve still got a few decades before anyone’s dragging my ass to hell. I dunno what you’re gettin’ your feathers all ruffled for” There was an attempt to end the conversation right then and there, knowing all too well that when there was something that Karkat wasn’t saying, it was only a matter of time before it came tumbling into his head in the most brash, insensitive way possible. He turned to hop from the windowsill, boots landing against the familiar wooden floor with a resounding thud, back turned to his one and only friend as if he could escape the unknown just one last time.

_ WE HAD AN AGREEMENT. _

That was all he needed to say.  _   
_

It was as if every muscle in his body had tensed up all at once. He stopped no less than three steps from where Karkat was still peering through his only window to the outside world, the window he’d spent most of his life at, gazing up at the stars and reading his story books by candlelight. This was the only life he’d ever known, aside from the sparse memories of a life before this, of a girl with eyes the color of lilacs. This tower was the only place he’d ever known. This tower and the dragon that had chose to stick around even after he repeatedly refused his offer of escape, even if there was a part of him that really, really wanted to climb out of that window and never look back.

“I know.” It was barely his usual, carefree tone. The one where he spoke flippantly so as to avoid all the things that needed to be said but wouldn’t be until Karkat wrung it out of him. He could feel his eyes on his back, feel his presence in his mind where the parts that were him faded into fire and brimstone, something so close to erupting. It was if he could feel the heat and magma bubbling over the edges, blood seeping into his mind as if it always belonged there. It was daunting when he was just a child, unable to understand the magical properties of a Dragon such as the one he’d stumbled upon. Other than the obvious fact that a dragon visited him every night and spoke in his mind, it wasn’t until some years later that Karkat would explain the things his books couldn’t tell him, about soul bonds and all that came with becoming cohorts with a dragon. 

Karkat was his greatest friend. A companion and a voice when he needed to hear someone besides himself speak. The option to leave was always there. It had been since that very first evening, talking to his newfound friend with a light in his eyes that had long since faded. Dave had spoken more in that one night than he had in his entire life. He’d talked and yammered away at the great, wondrous creature that had found him atop his tower until his eyes drooped and he was all but flopped over his windowsill, little fingers digging into the worn wood, hair falling into his eyes and he laid his head over his crossed arms. The next morning he’d found himself tucked into bed without an explanation as to how, and three evenings afterwards Karkat was back, curling himself around the top of his tower with the offer to take him from this place. To show him a life that he’d always wanted, yet feared taking for reasons he’d rather not go into. 

_ DO YOU PLAN ON HONORING THAT AGREEMENT?  _

It was a genuine question, that much he was sure of, edged with the sort of uncertainty he wasn’t used to hearing from him. As if he were afraid he was going to turn him down again, refuse the idea of freedom if only to retreat into something familiar, his drawings and his books, the dwindling candle at his bedside. All familiar things. The meadow and the rabbits running from foxes, all familiar. A bird cawing from its perch on one of the trees in the nearby forest in the early morning, just before the sun came up and warmed the stones of his little home. Familiar. What lay beyond that, the things he could find on the back of a dragon, was far from familiar. 

The fear of the unfamiliar wasn’t exactly what was keeping him here, either. 

“You know the answer to that.” It was spoken sharply, as if he could use words as a weapon to defend himself from all the things he didn’t want to admit. All the things Karkat already knew. 

_ DO I?  _

Dave looked to the leather bag plopped on the floor beside his bed as if it was his greatest enemy, having spent the night before filling it with rations, warm clothes, and anything else he would need if he was planning on leaving and never coming back. The shelf above his desk was devoid of all those little trinkets and sentimental little items he’d collected over the years, shoved in the innermost pocket without a second thought.  Everything else could be left or retrieved later, it wasn’t as if this god forsaken place was going anywhere. It was as if that fucking bag spelt his undoing, the way he was looking at it. Karkat had spent most of his sixteenth birthday trying to convince him to leave with him when the sun set, nearly refusing to let this go until he agreed to  _ something.  _ Eventually, they’d come upon a compromise.  _ Two years.  _ Dave had promised.  _ That’s nothing, to you. On my eighteenth Birthday, I’ll go with you.  _

It was a promise.   
  
A promise that he planned on keeping, for what it was worth. Two years wasn’t nearly as long as he’d hoped it would be, if there was one thing that made him feel like there was something eating away at him, it was feeling like he was running out of time. He’d watched the sunset each evening, sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend. He would count off another day off in his head, count them all up and tuck them away before the helplessness and loneliness could set in. He would deny the fact that he was waiting for something, for someone to come riding through the valley on the back of a nameless steed, a family he’d long since lost to the cruelty of the world. 

His internal lament was interrupted by a long suffering sigh from somewhere behind him, garnering his attention. The displaced air was warm and smelt of smog and cinders. He peered over his shoulder, just in time to catch his only friend dropping a small leather pouch onto his make-shift window sill. When he looked to him for an answer, all he got was a simpering look and an averted gaze. 

_ DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT I WOULD COME EMPTY HANDED?  _

Surprisingly enough, there wasn’t an insult or derogatory comment tacked onto the end. It almost made him think that he was trying to be genuine, that whatever was in that little bag must’ve been pretty fucking important, to get him out of a well-earned verbal beating. 

“Didn’t think.” Dave somewhat relunctantly plopped himself back onto the window sill, back against the stone wall, one leg folded under him while the other knocked against the wood floor.  “Just figured that this year, my gift was freedom, or whatever melodramatic shit you would’ve come up with as an excuse to keep all those dragon goodies to yourself.” All lies. Karkat always brought a gift on his birthday, something a little more special than all the other toys and trinkets he’d brought him over the years. Dave had more dragon goodies than he knew what to do with, at this point. He was mostly just giving him shit while he picked at the golden tie looped around the little pouch, tugging it open and fishing around inside. 

Karkat didn’t offer up any other commentary, for what it was worth. 

It was a necklace. He grabbed it by his chain and fished it out, letting it dangle and catch the light of the setting sun while he set the pouch aside and got a good look at it. The pendant was, as best as he could tell, with the number nine mirrored and curled around itself. A symbol that was vaguely familiar, for whatever reason. Fingertips traced the ornate metal, just short of fascinated. Karkat was peering at him in that way that meant he was curious, nervous, even. Yet would deny it if it were brought to light that he was anything but confident in his choice of gift. 

“What is it?” Dave was as close to a smile as he ever got as he undid the clasp and hooked it behind the nape of his neck, letting it dangle, not even bothering to drop it behind his shirt as he usually would’ve done. 

_ IT’S A SYMBOL OF MY PEOPLE, YOU IGNORANT SHITSTAIN.  _

_ “ _ Your people? So, it’s a dragon thing.” His chin was tipped downwards, so that he might peer at the pendant resting just below his collarbone. It was old, ancient eve. Yet shined brilliantly and shined wonderfully in the light. 

_ MORE OR LESS. _

Dave was apparently willing to accept that an answer, while he usually would’ve gone digging for something more substantial. On any other day, Dave probably would’ve gone to any number of lengths to wring the lore out of him, anything to get a little peek at such a fascinating culture. One so different to the one he thought he knew. The one he had sparse memories of. 

But this wasn’t any other day.

He was officially of age. He’d spent most of his life up to this point wasting away, tucked into some far-off, desolate corner of the world while his only friend urged him to leave what effectively served as a prison. Stone walls, sparse meals, little entertainment. Too many years were spent wasting away between wood and stone, refusing the help of someone who well and truly cared about him, in his own roundabout way. In this moment of clarity, there was only one thought that budged the rock that had been sitting in his chest for nearly two years:

They aren’t coming back for him. 

Something he couldn’t put a name to bloomed inside his chest in that moment. It was as if someone lit a fire in his veins and cast a spell on his nerves. Someone had poured magma into his veins and there was nothing that could’ve kept him in that goddamn tower for another fucking second.  He moved faster than he had all day, hopping up from the window sill and snatching the bag from the floor. It was slung over his shoulder before he could think to do otherwise, snatching his only cloak from the back of an old, rickety chair. He fingers shook a little as he fiddled with the clasp, unsure if it was from nerves or something else. He was dressed for the cold, with warm clothes to combat the winter season and more than enough food to last him a couple of days shoved in his bag. Though, he was confident that Karkat wouldn’t let him starve if it came to that. 

He rushed to the window with the sort of crooked, obnoxious grin that he hadn’t sported since he was a child and the idea of adventure absolutely fucking delighted him. Karkat looked a little more than surprised to see him packed and ready to go, practically throwing himself at that fucking window sill, perching with both knees pressed against old stone, bare hands clinging to the outer edges of the window so that he wouldn’t fall to his untimely demise, yet content enough to all but fling himself out of what had once been his home. There was a moment then, that Dave met his eyes and time seemed to stutter for the briefest of moments. As if there was nothing that mattered outside of this incredibly pivotal moment. Their eyes met and he was reaching out  to lay his palm against the patch of scales between his eyes, just where his snout began. Karkat closed his eyes and the wind ruffled Dave’s hair. It wasn’t the first time he’d touched him, he’d been stroking and scratching and petting since the day he met him, but this moment, it was important. 

Dave pulled away and time started again. 

_ ARE YOU CERTAIN?  _ __   
__   
He already knew the answer, but he said it anyways. 

“As I’ll ever be.” 

That seemed to be enough for him, because within the next few moments Karkat was moving again, creeping along the withering stone tower to allow Dave to climb onto his back. Little stone pebbles went plummeting to the ground below, disturbed by his movement as Dave climbed out of his window and onto the back of his only friend in the world. There was no fear or hesitation, heights were nothing new and he was more than confident that Karkat wouldn’t let him fall. The sun had nearly set, the sky streaked with pinks and oranges; the last remains of the setting sun. 

Claws scraped against stone and leathery wings flapped clumsily on either side of him as Dave perched on his shoulders, hands pressed against the dark, smooth scales. It was as if this was where he belonged, on the back of a dragon, overlooking a land he’d known his whole life. 

_ HOLD ON.  _

It was the only warning he got before he shifted somewhat dramatically and pushed off of the structure that until this moment, had been his only home. His wings worked against the wind and his ridiculous, wonderful laugh was snatched from his throat by the wind. 

It was  _ glorious _ . 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy
> 
> First of all, thanks to everyone that commented on the previous chapter because it really kept me going! Updates might be a little sparse sometimes because I have a pretty hectic life but I've got a pretty extensive plot planned out, and I'm pretty excited for all the twists and turns I got planned. Gonna be the slowburns of slowburns, so I hope you guys are ready to slog through my bullshit. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and pls feel free to drop a review/comment bc it really does wonders for my motivaton
> 
> Stay tuned!


	3. Count your sins but not your blessings

Nothing could ever compare to this.

Words wouldn’t ever come close to describing how _this_ felt. To be free to do as he wished after having wasted so much time waiting for something that wouldn’t ever come; to be _riding a dragon._ He’d once been nothing more than a naive child, perched on his windowsill far above a world he feared he’d never know and _dreaming_ of this moment.

The wind mercilessly whipped through his hair and the air smelt of the pine trees far below them as they flew beyond the forest and the rolling hills, soon enough they would be circling the mountains, the ones that stretched farther into the sky than even his tower did. The sky was streaked with brilliant color; soft oranges and bright yellow fading into pretty purples and pinks with the setting sun. It would be dark soon. Dave hadn’t even bothered to ask where his companion thought to take him, what with all the angst and bickering, but he couldn't help but to think back to all those tall tales he’d been told of his horde and the hollowed out mountain Karkat holed himself up in when he wasn’t visiting young boys or terrorizing humanity.

As late as it was, Dave suspected that he wouldn’t indulge him for much longer than he already had. There was just so much he needed to _do,_ so much he hadn’t _seen_ or _experienced_ yet. He wanted to meet people; see what they wore and how they spoke outside his books and the stories Karkat told. He wanted to experience a bustling marketplace, tromp his way through the woods, eat food that wasn’t brought to him by someone else while he wasted away somewhere. Something in the back of his head that, surprisingly, _wasn’t_ a booming, magical voice, told him that he needed to slow down. He was going to get a fucking headrush if he tried to cram everything he’d missed in eighteen years into half a day. He had the rest of his life to do with as he pleased, to explore every inch of the sky and the world below it with his one and only friend. His best friend. His companion and occasionally, an absolute pain in the ass.

He was sure that Karkat wouldn’t fail to mention his whooping and hollering once they’d landed; laughing in a way that could only be described as _giddy_ and letting the wind steal his excited cries whilst he rode on the back of a dragon. (That notion in and of itself that was enough to have him absolutely beside himself with glee. As close to glee as he was capable of getting, at the very least) There was so much to see, so many things to do and didn’t have the faintest clue as to where to start first. There just was so much to _see_ from up here, the mountains stretched on for miles outside the view of his little corner of the world and beyond that there was endless land; feilds used for farming and cattle so far off in the distance it was almost impossible to make out anything aside from a swathe of green speckled with little flecks of life. He knew that the moment they landed and he was able to speak without everything he said getting snatched from his throat by the wind, there was nothing that could keep him from absolutely talking Karkat’s ear off. It was beyond culture shock. It was something else entirely, at this point. Part of him was starting to believe that he wouldn’t ever leave that pile of rocks and loneliness, no matter how many promises he made. To think that he was free from the confines of his past, even if there was still a part of him that was hesitant to leave behind all that he’d ever known, was indescribable. He was fully aware of the fact that he was grinning like an absolute fool, arms outstretched so that he might feel the way the wind carded through his fingers and resisted against the flat of his palm.

It was quite a while before they started to descend. The open sky gave way to rocky ledges and little patches of green things that were stubborn enough to grow even despite the altitude and rough, harsh soil. For the first time since he’d known him, Karkat was graceful. His wings moved thoughtlessly; as though he was born to soar through the skies and pierce the air. Human hands pressed against dark obsidian scales, scrambling to find something to hold onto while Karkat took care to land in a way that wouldn’t jostle his passenger too much. He’d taken him to a grassy clearing just on the edge of something he wouldn’t exactly call the mountain itself, but one of several small, steep hills. There was a stretch rocks, trees, and a multitude of other nasty things before the terrain evened out and gave way to a thick outcropping of trees. Karkat hardly made a noise as he landed somewhere near the middle of that grassy clearing, allowing Dave to slip from his back and wobble on his feet like a newborn lamb.

_ALRIGHT._

_THIS IS YOUR ONE AND ONLY CHANCE TO GET YOUR JOLLIES OUT._

_GO, RUN, FROLIC._

When Karkat laid in the grass it was unmistakably reminiscent of a cat curling up on something that was comfortable enough, yet not exactly intended for cats. Something told him that this place wasn’t exactly intended for something as big and imposing as Karkat, but he wasn’t about to question him or his decision to give him the chance to go off his rocker before they tried anything more exciting than an impromptu flight not too far from where they’d started. Dave didn’t get more than a couple of steps away from him before he was dropping to his knees and _laughing_ , threading his fingers through the bright, healthy grass and pulling until it came right up out of the ground. He watched the way it slipped from his fingers, taken by the wind, with nothing short of fascination.

“ _Karkat_ ” He spoke as if he had something incredibly important to say, with the excitement of a child that had just discovered something the rest of the world had long since been aware of. There was a light in his eyes that had long since been taken by something heavy and oppressive, a feeling that no child should ever have to deal with. It wouldn’t be long until it was gone again, he was sure of it. But for now, he was content laughing like an idiot and grabbing at grass like it was the best fucking thing he’d ever _seen._ Karkat hummed somewhere in the back of his mind, interested and amused, yet content enough to let him carry on without bothering to interrupt. For now.

“Grass is kind of itchy- did you know that? Like, it’s mundane as shit, right? Fuckin’ grass, whatever. Who gives a shit, but then you touch it and your skin fuckin’- holy shit.” Another laugh. This was far from something you’d expect from someone who prided himself on emotional indifference- yet he just couldn’t bring himself to care. To experience something other than a vaguely rounded room made of rough, impenetrable stone and what little he could see from his window sill, was worth losing his cool for an hour or so. It was only a matter of time before he was flopping backwards, sprawled out like some sort of lunatic and grinning like one, too. It was more than likely that he was going to be absolutely filthy with grass stains- that was a thing, wasn’t it? But he couldn’t bring himself to care, he’d roll around in a mud puddle if the opportunity presented itself. Although, he had the sneaking suspicion that Karkat would be less inclined to let him sling himself across his back if he made good on that. (He could be quite finicky when it came to that- preening and fiddling with his scales until they practically shone in the sunlight.)

From here he could see the sky stretched above him, streaked with the setting sun and moodlet with a whole swathe of beautiful colors. Part of him so dearly wished that he had the time to sit here, with his head tilted skywards, paper beneath his hands and paint smeared across his skin. He would fucking jump at the chance to even just sketch out the scene before him, the sight of a dragon lounging on the side of a mountain, the sky above him gone soft and pretty with impending sunset.

“I should’ve believed you-” Dave started, almost breathless. “There’s so much to see. Shit’s intoxicating, you know?” It was meandering, not quite enough to be counted as the sort of ceaseless rambling he was quite known for.

 

_I’M AWARE._

_I’M ALSO AWARE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A STUBBORN ASSHOLE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO TRUST IN ANYONE’S WORD BUT YOUR OWN._

“I trust you.” It came tumbling out of his mouth before he could think any better of it, thoughtless and airy, yet it hung in the air like a pile of bricks suspended by a thin rope. Heavy and imposing, it a way that made his chest feel tight and his mouth dry. It was _true._ Karkat was quite possibly the only creature in the world that Dave completely and utterly trusted, never once had he left him without explanation, or made him feel like his life could be snuffed out before it even began and no one would even blink an eye. Karkat cared, even if he pretended he didn’t for the sake of his image- god forbid anyone suggest that he was anything more than a magnificent being, the kind of creature that inspired novels, and hell, entire _religions_ , capable of tromping out the barest traces of human life without even blinking an eye.

“I mean-” He attempted to cover his tracks, “Why wouldn’t I?” Nice going, jackass.

Dave pushed himself up again, leaning back on his hands, palms pressed against the grass and fingers digging into the harsh soil. Karkat seemed consider that for a moment, before shifting as if to shake out his wings and settle a little more comfortably. Laying his head in the grass, bright, striking eyes fell closed and his leathery wings stretched above him like a broad canopy. The one closest to him bonked against his head with the pretense of playfulness, as if to smother his sentimental bullshit before violins started to play and flowers bloomed in the wake of this shitty, soft moment. Grunting a vague noise of protest or offense, he raised a hand to bat at the offending wing until Karkat seemed to give into his silent complaints, humming into his mind and pulling them back to fold comfortably against his back.

_ENJOY YOUR NEW FOUND FREEDOM BEFORE I DECIDE TO DROP YOU OFF THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, IF ONLY TO GET A MOMENTS PEACE FROM YOUR CEASELESS YAMMERING, YOU RIDICULOUS CREATURE._

It wasn’t nearly as venomous as it was probably meant to be, tinged with something lazy and fond, as if he was more than content to take a nap in a sunbeam while his human writhed around in the grass and practically giggled with glee. Not that Dave was actually doing that, but had he spent another fucking day in that god damn tower, he probably would be.

It was a little more peaceful from then on, Dave ended up leant against his side and letting whatever fell into his mind drop out of his mouth. It was strange to be touching another living, breathing thing so freely, after so long spent in solitude. He’d touched Karkat before, of course, but never like this. It was always a palm laid against warm, smooth scales, fingernails scritching idly or his head rested against his own in a moment of stubborn sleepiness. This was some full-bodied action, one knee drawn up, the other stretched out in front of him, hands curling and uncurling into the grass beneath him. Every once in a while he would tug until it gave, sprinkle it in the air, let it fall from his fingers to be caught by the wind and carried away before he could give it a second thought.

It was idle and comfortable, a quiet peacefulness. The wind ruffled his hair and the sky above greeted him with the promise of something new and exciting. Companionship, freedom, friendship, maybe a little something extra that he couldn’t put a name on if he tried. It was nice, familiar. A safe spot in the midst of everything unfamiliar, new places, new sights and new smells. A life he hadn’t lived yet, one that he didn’t want to live alone. He already tried that and it didn’t work out well for him, left him a shriveled, isolated piece of shit that could barely work up the courage to leave the nest, once and for all.

They stayed like that until the sun set and Dave had dropped off into silence, his head lolling backwards as he practically slumped against his dragon, only moments from curling up in the crook of his fucking elbow and conking out. It’d been a long day. Between the wallowing, the anxiety, and the absolute excitement that came with riding a fucking dragon. It was only a matter of time before Karkat shifted beneath him, nudging him, as if encouraging him to move. It didn’t work very well. It was cold without the warmth of the sun, as it was still mid-winter. Between the season, the darkness, and the altitude, he should’ve been fucking freezing. Either he was used to it, from being subjected to harsh winter winds up in his tower, or the warmth that came with pressing himself against a fiery -in more ways than one- creature with more than enough body heat to spare. He very well could’ve fallen asleep here, it was warm and comfortable, yet if he did it was likely he’d wake with a nasty case of frostbite.

_WAKE UP, YOU USELESS SACK OF FLESH._

Dave grunted and shifted onto his side to nuzzle his face into his shiny scales, which was not as pleasant as one might expect, but that wasn’t the point. Without missing a beat, Karkat shifted beneath him and stood without so much as a warning. Asshole. Dave went tumbling into the grass, sprawled across the cold, unforgiving soil. They’d been there for hours, it was time to get moving, yet this was a perfect opportunity to give Karkat face, and he wasn’t about to pass it up.

“You traitor.” It was said with mock offense, as Dave reluctantly pushed himself off the ground and clamored to his feet. “I thought you were letting me enjoy my newfound freedom, also, still technically my birthday. Which gives me the authority to nap anywhere I damn well please, including a mostly-rocky cliffside, which, coincidentally, happens to be fucking freezing.” He nattered on, brushing nimble fingers through his hair in an attempt to sort it out, brushing it out of his eyes while he was at it. Karkat watched him with a curiosity he couldn’t name or put his finger on, the kind of curiosity that crept into the room whenever Dave was lacing up his boots or slotting the buttons through his shirt, when he ripped apart a piece of bread and shoved it in his mouth, smeared paint across his skin and cursed when he knocked over the vial of water or ink beside his work. Little human things, mostly. It was nothing short of fascination, and more often than not, it left him feeling flustered.

_SUCK IT UP._

_THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO ROLL AROUND AND WALLOW IN THE DIRT, PRACTICE PATIENCE, FOR ONCE IN YOUR PUNY, ORDINARY, BLAND LIFE._

_IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO FIND OUT THAT I ACTUALLY HAVE A GENERAL IDEA WHAT I’M DOING, OCCASIONALLY._

“You’re right, that is surprising.” Dave snorted,

_SILENCE, PUNY MORTAL._

Dave didn’t pay him any mind, simply taking the time to brush off the grass stuck to his clothes, not bothering to stop and lament the obvious grass stains soiling his clothes. It was worth it, to spend his birthday with his best friend, lounging on a grassy mountain-side beneath the sunset. It was peacefully, a beautiful way to come of age, to start his life beneath something beautiful and beside something ancient, timeless. It was poetic, in a way.

_NOW, SLOG THAT SACK OF WHITE MEAT YOU CALL A CORPOREAL FORM ONTO MY FAR SUPERIOR VISAGE, BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT NOT DROPPING YOU OFF THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN._

Dave grumbled as he heeded his warning, standing on his toes to get purchased before throwing one leg over the back of his shoulders and settling there, palms pressed flat against black, obsidian scales, wishing he could see them up close when the sun shone off of them, sure it was a brilliant sight. It felt as if he belonged here, perched on the back of a dragon, feeling the shift of muscle and the press of warmth beneath him, catch the barest shift of a wing just outside his peripheral. It was a phenomenal feeling, an experience he wouldn’t have traded for the world.

“Where to?” Dave asked, after Karkat had spread his wings and shifted in a way that wasn’t entirely unlike a cat ready to pounce, getting low and wiggling its rear end, another comparison that would’ve gotten him flayed alive had his companion been privy to his own, constant, innate internal monologue. His answer was short and concise, one that said all it needed to say in a single word, a word that inspired as much excitement and anticipation as it did anxiety and uncertainty.

_HOME._

* * *

This flight was notably shorter than the first, fortunately for him, as the wind was harsh against his skin now that the sun had set and given way to another unforgiving winter night. Soon enough, they’d landed on a rocky outcropping just before the mouth of a cave, which was dark and cavernous, upon closer inspection. Dave slipped off of his back, feet meeting the ground solidly, to investigate further. Karkat was notably silent, for what it was worth. Instead of cluing him in on whatever it was they were doing here, why he brought him here in the first place, Karkat was lumbering across the rocky ledge to cross the threshold of the wide, menacing cavern.

“Hey!” Dave called after him, jogging to keep up with his long strides and greater size, as he was able to cover more distance than he was, on his puny human legs. The ground sloped downwards so subtly one might not have notice had it not been for the smallest rocks, pebbles, beneath their feet, disturbed by the sudden movement and sent tumbling. Dave watched them skitter across the cave floor idly, as the path winded downwards, farther and farther from the bleak evening. The darkness eventually gave way to torches fixed to the walls, keeping the interior dimly lit, just enough to see somewhat clearly. His fingers brushed against the stony walls as he walked beside his companion, dragging his palm across the rock and noting the uneven texture, memorizing the feeling of irregular stone beneath his touch just in case he never got the chance to do it again. He was affixed with the burning need to commit everything he saw, heard, or experienced to memory. To tuck it away somewhere safe, because there was still that lingering fear, that maybe that would all be taken from him one day. The irrational, crazy thought, that he’d end up back in his tower, was not one that was easily dispelled.

It was dim and bleak within the mountain in a way that somehow wasn’t suffocation or repressive, it was a hair's breath from cozy, but his definition of ‘cozy’ was probably a little skewed. Dave would probably consider anything that had a functional door, an easy escape route, cozy and welcoming. It was at _least_ three minutes before the comfortable silence was broken by Dave’s constantly derailed train of thought, a record, really.

“What is this place?”

 _OH! I’M SORRY, I SEEM TO REMEMBER ANSWERING THAT FUCKING QUESTION ALREADY, SHIT FOR BRAINS. PLEASE, TAKE A MOMENT TO PONDER THAT, YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAMMAL._   
_  
_ “This is your home?” Dave didn’t pay his ridiculous outburst any mind, giving the cave a curious glance as they rounded one last corner. His breath may as well have been stolen right from his lungs, as if there was something that wouldn’t strike him as fascinating and exciting, with the day he’s had.  The stony walls opened up mere steps before them, into a chamber that was truly cavernous. The ceiling stretched far above even someone as sizable as Karkat, giving way to piles upon piles of shiny things, literal piles of gold, little odds and ends that scattered the floor, mountains of plush, soft fabrics that would feel heavenly against his skin, he was absolutely sure of it.

A dragon's hoard.

_OF COURSE._

_I WOULDN’T EXPECT ANY OTHER PIECE OF ROTTEN MEAT TO ACQUIRE A HOARD THIS SIZABLE, OR VARIABLE. FEEL FREE TO BASK IN THE PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION OF MY SUPERIORITY, IT’S ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE ACTIVITIES._

He was preening again, ruffling his wings and picking at his claws like a particularly smug cat, as if he’d just caught the mouse he’s been batting around for _hours_. Dave rolled those pretty red eyes of his and wandered inside, down the vague path scraped out between piles of bullshit, even that was riddled with stray pieces of coin and other pretty things. As if he’d just swept it all aside as he stalked through, which, was incredibly likely.

It was only moments before Karkat was sweeping past him, settling no more than a doen feet away, in the center of a wide circle of cleared space near the apex of the cave. He imagined it was pushed aside with wide sweeps of his wings, as he turned in circles, like a dog trying to find just the right place to lay down and settle in for a while. Coincidentally, nearby, was a sizable collection of blankets, fabrics, and other various soft things: a human friendly pile. Karkat settled with a puff of warm breath, quite obviously pretending he hadn’t the faintest clue that they’d been arranged so close to where he would lay his head for the night.

Sneaky bastard.

Dave wasn’t about to pass up a comfortable spot to rest, after the day he’s had, sprawling lazily across the comfortable spread. On his back, head tipped back, practically hung upside down as he peered over at him. Karkat’s eyes were mostly closed, aside from the right one, which was the barest slit, peaking at him, bright, bloody crimson giving him away. It slipped shut again as he shook his wings out and resettled, feigning pride, that, now that he thought about it, was probably fairly genuine.

“What now, oh, magnificent being?” Dave disturbed the comfortable silence for not the first time, arms flung to the side like a child, still looking at him upside down. “I get that you wanted to show off your super impressive dragon goodies, but I hope that this isn’t the final stop on Strider’s long awaited freedom tour.” He nattered on, gaze drifting to the ceiling, that was adorned with shimmering red crystals, jutting from the rocks, just barely reflecting the dim torchlight.

_IT WAS LATE, YOU SNIVELING HATCHLING._

The nickname (insult) almost brought a smile, that he promptly shoved away, that was more than enough giddy, touchy-feely shit for one day.

_I FIGURED THAT YOU COULD USE THIS TIME TO GET SOME ACTUAL REST, WITHOUT THE WEIGHT OF YOUR DECISIONS KEEPING YOU AWAKE. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO PILLAGE THE LAND AND FORCE YOUR USELESS NATTERING ONTO SOMEONE THAT ISN’T ME._

Oh.

He hadn’t considered that sooner or later, a real, sentient human being may or may not enter his presence. It just now occurred to him that he hadn’t spoken to someone that wasn’t Karkat in nearly a decade and a half, and just the idea tied his stomach into knots, had him picking at his worn nail beds, scraping at the cuticles, an old nervous habit. Later. There was time to worry about that later, when Karkat wasn’t trying to have a seriously important conversation with him, one he should probably be paying attention to.

“But that’s not the only reason you brought me here.” It should’ve been a question, an inquiry, but it ended up sounding like an expectant statement, as if waiting for an explanation. He wasn’t getting one without some prying, it seemed, which Dave was more than happy to do, as he had many times before.

_EXCUSE THE FUCK OUT OF ME FOR TRYING TO BE CONSIDERATE, NEXT TIME I’LL JUST DRAG YOU ACROSS THE LANDS BY THE SCRUFF OF YOUR NECK, TOSS YOU INTO THE NEAREST EAGLES NEST I CAN FIND._

There was a beat of heavy, empty silence, and then;

_NO, IT ISN’T._

It was as if he sighed into his very being, breathing uncertainty and- nervousness? It was as daunting as it was intriguing, which was more than enough to get him to flop onto his stomach and look at him properly, seriously, waiting for him to continue. For once in his life, he didn’t interrupt or elbow his way in with inane commentary.   

_I’VE BEEN TWIDDLING MY CLAWS FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG, SITTING ON THIS, I WANTED- I DIDN’T WANT TO DUMP THIS IN YOUR LAP, OR INFLUENCE YOUR DECISION TO SEEK YOUR FREEDOM ON YOUR OWN TERMS._

So it _was_ serious, that notion was more than enough to plant a pit of uncertainty and anxiety in his gut. Dave just nodded, a silent, expectant, _go on._

_I’M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND PRETEND YOU MEAN NOTHING TO ME. YOU ARE QUITE POSSIBLY THE ONLY SENTIENT BEING IN THE WORLD THAT WOULD DRIVE ME TO SUCH A QUESTION, TO A PLACE WHERE I WOULD EVEN CONSIDER SUCH A THING, INVITE THAT KIND OF- VULNERABILITY._

He sounded far less certain than he usually did, it had him pushing himself up and crossing his legs, sitting comfortably, brows furrowed with undeniable concern, but still determined not to interrupted or skew his train of thought.

There was another one of those soundless sighs that he could feel in his fucking bones.

_THERE’S A RITUAL._

_ONE THAT FAR PREDATES YOU AND YOUR KIND, IT’S SOUL-DEEP, AN INTEGRAL BOND THAT NO SWORD OR MERE MAN CAN BREAK. SHOULD YOU ACCEPT, YOU WOULD BE BOUND TO ME, OUR CONNECTION UNBREAKABLE. YOU WOULD BE MINE, AND I YOURS._

It sounded rehearsed, as if he’d gone over it a hundred times in his head before spouting it into Dave’s. Somehow, it was just endearing, more than anything. It made something in his chest twist, and his expression do something he couldn’t name, couldn’t describe, but he was sure it was humiliating. He tripped over his words, stumbled and stuttered for a good half minute before his tongue decided to cooperate.

“You want- to bond with me?” He’d heard mere whispers of such a thing in his old story books, ones the edged closer to folklore and history rather than pure fiction, they told of riders and their companions wrapping their souls around each other, bound by the blood that ran through their veins. It could only be done once, even though the lifespan of a dragon far outstretched that of its human counterpart, which would only be extended by this bond somewhat. It was a one time deal, and Karkat had chosen _him,_ asking as if there was anyway he could say no, anyway he could refuse him, after all he’d done for him, all he’d given him.

_YOU WOULD BE MY RIDER._

“Yes.” It was the first word out of his mouth, and he fucking meant it. It already felt like Karkat was wrapped around him, the was he crept into his mind like he belonged there, magma slipping between craggy rocks, cracked stone somewhere dark and bleak, timeless and eternal. Karkat was already such an important part of him, just the thought of being anywhere buy by his side left him feeling empty and bereft, without direction. Not that he was hopelessly dependent on him, like a infant was on its mother. He would be able to go on if Karkat did decide to rid himself of such a pesky human, but it would be hard and painful, picking himself out of the dirt would be the most difficult thing he’d ever done, having him here, knowing that he was wanted, that someone cared just as much as he did, made him feel a little less directionless, a little more confident, secure. Karkat was quite possibly the most important person in his life, and he planned on keeping it that way.

_DO NOT MAKE THIS DECISION LIGHTLY, DAVE._

_THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE ONCE_

_AND IT CANNOT BE UNDONE_

_IT MUST BE FINAL AND MADE OF SOUND MIND._

_FEEL FREE TO TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NE-_

This time, Dave did cut him off.

“ _Yes,_ Karkat. I know.” It was urgent, as if it was absolutely understand he understand, “I don’t say this lightly, and I may not be this genuine ever again, but right now, I’m feeling particularly receptive to over-emotional bullshit.” Words dropped out of his mouth without a second thought, fingers curling into the plush fabric beneath him. “You are an integral part of everything I am and will be, being bound to you is everything I could ever hope for, and given the chance to think twice about it, I will always choose you.”   
  
He didn’t seem to expect that, blinking, picking his head up off the ground to look at him seriously. His eyes narrowed, just slightly, as if considering his claims very closely. Dave didn’t doubt that he was doing just that.

_IF YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE._

_UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS NOT A CEREMONY I CAN ORCHESTRATE MYSELF. AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP AS MUCH DISTANCE AS I POSSIBLY CAN BETWEEN YOU AND THOSE ASS-BLISTERS,_

_WE WILL NEED PERMISSION AND ASSISTANCE._

A curious tilt of his head. Dave was foolish enough to assume that Karkat was the last of his kind, as any proper storybook would tell you, dragons had been assumed extinct for decades. The thought that perhaps, there was a chance that it wasn’t _just_ Karkat up there, looming above all, dominating the sky, somewhere their human counterparts couldn’t hope to reach by themselves, hadn’t occurred to him. Or, perhaps they were just particularly insightful humans, those with powers far beyond his scope of perception. That sounded just as unlikely, so much so that Dave didn’t know which conclusion to jump to first.

Karkat grumbled somewhere deep inside his mind and he was sure that had he been capable of it, he’d be scowling and kicking at the dirt, like a child that hadn’t gotten his way.

_THE COUNCIL._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, that took three months. Long time no see! This chapter was particularly slow going, more of a filler, to get from point a to point b, so it might be a little lacking, not to mention dripping with shitty exposition, which I'm not the best at! 
> 
> Hopefully 5k of their shenanigans makes up for the wait!
> 
> Please leave your feedback because i thrive off of it tbh, thanks for reading my self indulgent bullshit


	4. Untold Journeys

Travel was far less exciting when minutes stretched into hours, hours into days, and time spun itself into a tangle in the wake of such a ceaseless, exhausting journey. Though, admittedly, it wasn’t particularly exhausting for _Dave_ , seeing as he’d spent the better part of three days draped over the back of his Dragon as if he were nothing more than a particularly inconvenient satchel.

Their destination was all but a mystery to him, somewhere in the northern mountains, as far as he could tell. Karkat refused to give him much more than that, railroading them into a heated debate about map making and just how much they _really_ knew about geography. They’d wrung themselves dry of conversation and the energy it took to squabble before Dave could even realize he’d been redirected. In all honesty, he didn’t really need to know where they were going to get the feeling that Karkat was getting pretty fucking antsy about it, rattling around in his head and occasionally shuffling his wings, scuffling his claws against the dirt as he lumbered through a grassy field, overlooked by skies so blue it made his heart twist with something like awe. Karkat insisted upon walking for a spell and he hadn’t bothered to argue, as it didn’t make much of a difference to him how they got there, and the sights and smells were fascinating enough no matter the altitude.

The grass was tall enough that had he been trudging through it, it would’ve brushed his knees and probably made his skin itch. A beautiful, light green, with the occasional wildflower growing where it probably shouldn’t have. It was honestly a miracle that he hadn’t slipped off his back entirely, sprawled out across his shoulders like he was. His cheek was pressed against, warm dark scales, bright eyes half-lidded and lazy as he fought the urge to enjoy a lazy afternoon nap, like a cat in a sunbeam.

_HAVING FUN UP THERE, ASSHOLE?_

His idle moment was interrupted by an indignant question, spoken directly into his mind without the slightest hint of trepidation or hesitance, as always. Karkat never seemed to mind interrupting his moments of rest, part of him suspected he took great pride in it, that fiend.

“I _was._ ” Dave groaned, any further complaints silenced by a roll of his shoulders, rustling his wings just enough for him to slip off his back entirely, tumbling into the tall grass with an indignant _“Hey!”_ He could practically feel that sharp, smug smile curling around his mind like a serpent.

_I AM NOT YOUR SUBSEQUENT MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, YOU INSOLENT BRAT. IF YOU’RE GOING TO LAY AROUND LIKE A LAZY INGRATE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION._

Dave didn’t bother to pick himself up off the ground, simply rolling over and shoving his face into the dirt in retaliation. Like a child throwing a particularly stubborn temper-tantrum. His moment of defiance was promptly interrupted by a distinct snuffling, someone nosing around in his blonde mop of hair with his snout. That warm puff of air that smelt of cinders made him wrinkle his nose and half-heartedly swat at him

_GET UP. WE HAVE A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD OF US, I WOULD PREFER PUTTING THE MOUNTAINS BEHIND US BEFORE SUNDOWN. UNLESS YOU WERE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN BEING MAULED BY THE WILDLIFE, YOU SQUISHY EXCUSE FOR A LIFE FORM._

Dave groaned.

So Dave joined him in a sunny afternoon walk.  They trudged through the grass and crossed the valley. The ascent of the northern mountains was one taken with great caution, edging along the treeline in preparation to take flight again as to avoid the steep cliffs littered with sharp rocks and unkind foliage, stopping for a spell to drink and pick away at their rations. Watching Karkat shovel raw deer meat into his gaping maw was quite the memorable experience, one that he wouldn’t be forgetting in this or any other lifetime. Dave was nattering away where he stood at the edge of that little clearing just beside something that wasn’t so much a clif as it was a particularly steep hill, the bottom of which dropped off into the beginnings of the forest.

“I’m just saying, dude.” He was speaking in between tipping his head back and draining his leather-bound canteen of the last of his water, assuring himself that Karkat would let him have some of his later with minimal bitching. “You really should be more aware of your human company, I have delicate sensibilities, y’know.”   
  
_BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, THAT IT WOULD BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BE ANY LESS AWARE OF YOU THAN I ALREADY AM. YOU HAVE SOLIDIFIED YOURSELF IN THE COLD, DEAD REMAINS OF MY REPTILIAN HEART._

Dave cooed in a way that was undoubtedly mockingly affectionate, stowing his canteen in the leather satchel slung across his shoulder and bumping against his hip.  The mountain breeze felt heavenly, after days of trekking through the sun without much shade to speak of, sprawled across warm, black scales that were undoubtedly heated by the warm afternoon sun.  Dave spun around with a wicked grin not many were privy to, arms flung out like a fool to feel the wind card between his fingers and ruffle his hair in a way that was not entirely different to the way Karkat had earlier that morning. It was a peaceful moment, spent ignoring the way Karkat rattled around inside his skull and went off on some tangent or another, listening to the birds and watching the sun dip beneath the horizon.

It was peaceful, right up until the ground beneath him buckled under his weight and began to crumble beneath his feet. Weathered from rain and the indigenous wildlife, most likely, just unstable enough to collapse beneath the slightest burden. It was incredibly unwise of him to be toeing along the edge like that in the first place, if only for the thrill of standing on the mountains edge and watching the world pass him by beneath his feet. It was one of the many, many lessons the world would have to teach him. He couldn’t help but to cry out as the ground broke away and the notion of avoiding quite the tumble was nothing but an unachievable dream, panic blooming his mind, an urgency that wasn’t his own. So Dave fell, sliding down the steep hill and just barely managing to avoid colliding with the occasional tree and rocks a little too big to skim over unharmed. The dirt and gravel was about as unforgiving as gravity, heels digging into the soil in a desperate, futile attempt to slow his descent. He scrambled desperately as the base of the steep incline approached, falling into the trees and foliage far too thick for a grand creature with wings. It was then that his luck ran out, scraped up and bruised from his unfortunate fall, unceremoniously slammed against something hard and particularly unforgiving, making it especially hard to remain conscious, sprawled out on the forest floor like some kind of damsel in distress.

That panic crowding the back of his mind faded if only due to the distance, that much made obvious by the far-off cry of a beast overwhelmed by grief and worry. It made guilt twang in his chest, with the last fleeting thought of his dragon aching with separation flitting across his mind before wakefulness was just a silly notion.

* * *

Everything was too bright and too loud, making it impossible to perceive anything but some kind of movement and the vague rustling of fabric. Wind rustling through the trees far overhead, something warm and sticky smeared across his skin. Time was just out of reach, brushing against his fingers without making any real contact. Everything was jumbled and nothing made sense, unfamiliar voices and hands that he didn’t recognize. If he were more coherent, being touched by another human being probably would’ve spurred some fairly conflicted emotion, but as it was he was just confused and disoriented in his half conscious state.

Moments after consciousness, incompressible words bloomed on his lips before he even had the chance to pry his eyes open and squint against the dim candle light. The room was empty and quiet, and for a fleeting moment part of him almost thought everything had been a dream. That it was still the eve of his eighteenth birthday and the notion of freedom and adventure had been nothing but a dream, what if Karkat wasn’t even real? A figment of the imagination of a lonely child, someone who needed a friend if only to save themselves the trouble of going mad. Five, six, seven seconds and his mind turned itself right side up

By the time everything had sorted itself out and it felt as though he could almost think straight again, the sun had long since set and left a swathe of darkness in its wake, leaving him feeling guilty and a little panicky at the thought of Karkat alone in the dark. He’d probably worried himself sick by now, hindered by the thick forest and foliage that made it impossible for him to go in after him.

He had to find him.

Determination lashed against his ribs as his palms pressed against the mattress beneath him, one that was thankfully unfamiliar to him but far less comfortable than the lush pile of exquisite fabrics he’d slept on nights prior. He made a solid attempt to sit up, time spent laying around nursing his wounds could’ve been spent searching for the one person that had gotten all tangled up in his heart and quieted the incessant passage of time. He groaned, one hand raising to press fingers against his temple. His head was fucking killing him, as if someone was hammering at the inside of his skull with reckless abandon. (The complete lack of a presence lingering in the back of his mind hurt worse than anything else did, in all honesty.)

“Not so fast, mister!” A hand met his chest and he couldn’t help getting a little jumpy, whipping around to meet the only sentient human being that he’s ever spoken to, let alone _touched_ , in nearly a decade and a half. The hand belonged to a girl with painfully bright green eyes, a wild tangle of short, dark hair that framed her face and nearly touched her shoulders in the front, while cropped short in the back. Her skin was dark, her smile sharp and while her stature was much smaller than one might expect she was sturdy, not exactly a harmless, wispy little thing. Something about her smile made him want to trust her, as idiotic as it was.

“You probably have a concussion.” She insists, giving a solid push to his chest to coax him into laying down. He did, if only because this seemed like the kind of girl that wouldn’t take no for an answer easily. “You can’t just go leaping and bounding out of bed all willy nilly.”  

“Trust me, I’m not leaping anywhere anytime soon.” He flopped back against her mattress, ruffling the wool blankets beneath him as he resettled. He watched her wearily, as if unsure what to do with the presence of another human being. He wasn’t used to talking to people that weren’t Karkat, not even just because he was wasn’t exactly all that human, but because he was _Karkat_.

“Nepeta.” He blinked, as if knocked out of a daze by her bull headedness and absolute determination to talk to him like an actual person that was well versed in maintaining a conversation with someone other than an ancient creature of lore, that, now that the thinks of it, most probably didn’t even believe _existed_ anymore.

“What?”   
  
“My name, since you didn’t ask.” It was said with an excited, gleeful smiled instead of a sharp, pointed tone, like one would expect. She bounced on the balls of her feet, hands clasped behind her back.

“Cool, awesome, rad- look. I totally appreciate this folky hospitality think you’ve got going on here, really. I’m totally psyched about not getting eaten by a hungry bear or bleeding out on some shitty, traitorous rocks, like you have no idea.” He pushed himself up onto his elbows despite her insistence that he rest for the time being, there would be time to recover later. He couldn’t think past the pang of urgency in his chest,  the emptiness in the back of his mind.

“But I can’t stay.” He told her bluntly, trying to figure out how to go about getting out of bed without being scolded like an unruly child again. That distinct stubbornness dissipated into something a little more confused, head tilted like a particularly curious cat.

“Did you wanna go back to getting yourself into trouble?” She asked, shifting to sit on the edge of the mattress instead of hovering at his bedside like a caretaker.

“I mean- preferably? Yeah.” This was met with more confusion, but when she opened her mouth to argue she was unceremoniously interrupted by someone else bustling into the room. A girl not unlike the first, with dark hair and pretty green eyes that cut right to the quick. Her hair nearly reached her waist and fell in thick waves, it looked like she actually owned a brush, opposed to the first. She was a little more put together, with a neat skirt and a tray of food that would be set on the nightstand. Nepeta was a little more rough and tumble, probably spent most of her time hunting in the woods and carrying firewood, working in the fields, if he had to take a guess.

“Oh good! He’s awake!” She talked a little too loud and her voice was just a little too high pitched for his liking, resisting the urge to cringe if only out of misguided politeness. She practically thrust a mug of something warm at him, badgering him into taking it with no more grace than Nepeta had insisted he stayed in bed. He wasn’t quite so used to being aggressively and stubbornly taken care of like this, at least not so obviously. “You need to eat something, and drink that, it’ll help with that nasty bump on the head. You know you’re pretty clumsy!” She talked fast, probably a little faster than he did when he got going. He kind of wished he could turn her down like the flame on a lantern, though he felt like she would’ve been a little more endearing had his head not been throbbing.

“I’m Meulin! Don’t be rude, Nepeta. You haven’t even gotten his name?” Her hands found her hips, a little haughty, a hair's breath from a pout. He wasn’t used to being around people that were so _animated._

“It’s Dave- and like I was saying.” He sipped at the warm cup of whatever in his hands if only to get her to stop looking at him like that, it tasted like honey and something else a little too strong for his delicate tastes. It did make the pounding on the inside of his skull a little more bearable, he’d give her that much. “I gotta get out of here. I left a friend, back in the woods. I can’t- it’s dark and-” He frowned, unsure how to go about explaining that he left his worrisome, protective dragon on the side of the mountain and the idea of leaving him alone any longer than he already had twisted his stomach into knots.

“I understand.” Nepeta set her hand atop his and the touch was surprisingly more comforting than it was frightening, her hand was warm, lingering like the touch of a friend. He didn’t even know these people, but something deep inside his chest was telling him that he could trust them, that they were safe.

“But if you go running meow-t there in the middle of the night you’re just going to end up right back here and you’ll be no closer to finding your friend-”

Wait.

“Wait.” He interrupted her, a little too baffled to feel bad about it.

“ _Meow-t_ ” His incredulous tone was met with that same, sharp, playful smile and absolutely no explanation.

“Stay here, just for the night! Then in the morning we can go find your friend, I paw-mise!” The look he gave her was enough to inspire a serious giggle fit from her sister, as if he’d stumbled into an inside joke he didn’t know about. Less than a week out of his tower and he’d already stumbled upon a couple of crazy girls who insisted upon mothering him and made _cat puns_ of all things. As much as he wanted to get back to Karkat as quickly as fucking possible, part of him knew that she was right. That he wouldn’t be getting anywhere tonight, especially not all on his own without so much as a guide. He huffed a sigh, raked fingers through his hair and went about studying a particularly interesting spot on the wall.

“Yeah, okay. Deal. I’ll stick around and drink your weird tea with _way_ too much sugar, but you gotta tell me what the fuck is up with all the cat shit- like. What the fuck.” They both laughed this time, Nep tossed her head back with that wicked grin and rolled her r’s like an actual fucking cat. She was nice, warm. Her sister was a little much but in a way that kind of grew on you after a couple hours, it was kind of hard to get used to the way she fixated on him when she talked, and it was only after someone explained to his dumbass that she was fucking deaf did he understand. He made a point to face her when he nattered on, if only to making reading lips a little easier.

They talked, Dave skimmed the very top of his tragic past if only to avoid sounding completely fucking crazy. They accepted that he grew up alone, found a friend, and went on a journey without much fanfare. He learned that they lived not far from capitol city, yet preferred the quiet country, and delivered goods and materials to the palace on a monthly basis. They were paid well and lived comfortably due to some kind of connection and unspoken tragedy, the kind of thing you didn’t go into with someone you found bleeding in the woods a couple hours prior. They shed some light on that, as well. Nep had stumbled upon him in the middle of a hunt, and consequently carried him all the way back to their home without much fuss, put him to bed and treated his wounds. He ate their food and drank whatever they offered, tried not to pick at his nails or get carried away out of nervousness. This was what he wanted, right? To travel, meet new people and taste new foods, listen to their stories and discover life outside of his story books. Actually meeting that reality was far more overwhelming than he ever expected it to be.

It wasn’t until hours later that they dubbed him well enough to sleep without possibly falling into a coma, let him crash in one of their beds with the insistence that they could share Meulins, just a room over. He was hesitant to take one of their beds, but knew there was no point arguing with them. He settled down after blowing out the candles and finding someplace to lay without aggravating his various bumps and bruises. It took quite a while to find sleep, as his mind was crowded with incessant thought. Where was Karkat? Was he still looking for him? Had he found somewhere to sleep for the night? Surely he wouldn’t stray too far without him.

Dave dreamt of molten rock slipping between cracked stone, gears grinding against metal and the cry of a lost dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW THAT TOOK SIX MONTHS
> 
> This chapter feels a little stale to me and it was really hard for me to get through, obviously. But these first few chapters are set up for some bigger and better things, not to mention introducing some new characters! Thank you so much for your encouragement, it really keeps me from giving up on this. It'a a little short, but like I said, one of those in between chapters. 
> 
> I'm going to try to update regularly, I swear guys.


	5. And I can feel your anger from way across the sea

With morning came an increasing sense of urgency. 

The sky above was bright yet empty, and part of him had expected to wake to the sound of rustling wings and sharp claws scraping through the soil. The complete absence of some old, grumpy, indiscernibly ancient creature clamouring around inside his head was more unsettling than he’d like to admit. It was if he’d gotten so used to someone else's presence, that being alone in his own head was too much to bear. It wasn’t as if they’d always been attached at the hip, there were many times Karkat had flown off into the horizon whilst his human idled away in his little room atop a tower, tucked away in a far-off corner of the world. There was just something about  _ knowing _ his return was inevitable, that he wouldn’t leave him alone for long, that settled his nerves. Some part of him was undeniably frantic, desperate to get back to him and make everything feel right again. It was as if everything was knocked just a little off kilter, not knowing where he was or when he’d be back. It planted a pit of unease in his stomach, one that would not be easily digested. 

His anxieties were quieted somewhat when the girls made good on their promise to help him find his lost companion, treating him to a warm breakfast of fresh bread and some kind of sweet fruit, not to mention providing him with a rag and warm basin of water to wash the dirt from his skin. It made him feel a little more human. Nepeta insisted on coming along, whilst her sister stayed home to tend to the chores and look after their animals, despite his reassurances that he would fare just fine on his own. Their cottage, as he’d come to find, was quaint and absolutely  _ crawling _ with felines. Calico’s and tabby cat’s crept along high bookshelves, leapt off of the table, slinking along the floor and beneath the couches as if they’d always belonged there. Something about it was undeniably familiar, an afterthought that probably shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did. 

Nepeta lead him through the thick forest with a fair amount of confidence, ducking under low hanging branches and hopping over rocks, crossing a stream with light steps that reminded him uncannily of a cat. He was far less graceful, unfortunately. Clamoring his way through unfamiliar terrain, tripping more than once and soaking his boots through when a misguided step sent him stumbling into that little stream. (To her credit, Nepeta only laughed a little bit.) 

By the time the setting sun had turned the sky a hazy orange, Dave’s newfound companion had lead him back to the cliffside she’d found him beneath and up the mountain, until the dirt beneath his feet hardened and was more rock than it was soil. It was a tiring journey, and part of him almost couldn’t believe that this girl had carried his unconscious body all that without so much of a hint of trouble. (She was quite the impressive girl, and part of him hoped that this wouldn’t be the last he’d see of her.) 

They were halfway up the winding path when he was struck with a dizzying sense of panic, loud and frantic. It echoed off the inside of his skull, that ever familiar presence back with a vengeance before any part of him could even register the rustle of his wings. Though, what came first was a sound that was something so indescribably pained, panic, frustration and worry all wrapped into something tinged with fire and anguish. 

Karkat  _ roared,  _

His physical form swept around the craggy rock face and onto solid ground, wings flared out like something that was trying to seem bigger than it was in the face of a perceived threat. Apparently the girl standing beside him was an unwelcome presence, that much was clear by the fire in his eyes and the indignation lit in the back of his mind. Dave didn’t have the mind to defuse him, fumbled over some half-thought out explanation that probably wouldn’t have been enough to soothe the impending irruption. His body moved without his permission, closing the distance and scraping the dirt with the bottoms of his boots as he practically collided with him. 

_ I FOUND YOU.  _

It echoed with something like relief, as Karkat sunk close enough to the ground so that Dave could stand on his toes and press his forehead against that spot right above his eyes. A moment that seemed to make time stutter to a stop around them, shared breath and a tangle of emotion far beyond the reach of time and all that it oversaw. His eyes closed, one breath, two, three. 

Time started again. 

He pulled away, a little sheepish if only because of their theatrics. One would think they’d spent years apart, rather than no more than a day. That’s what it felt like, though. The minutes felt like hours and the hours like days, dragging on until it lead him hear, nearly atop a mountain where nothing else mattered except for the warm press of scales beneath his hands. Part of him really couldn’t care less, though. This was  _ Karkat _ and a moment spent apart felt like eons, even if it seemed silly to everyone else. 

Dave finally seemed to remember that he hadn’t made that journey alone, and come to the realization that they had inadvertently reintroduced this innocent girl to the concept of dragons within the space of a breath. He whirled around to find her standing mere feet away, one hand clapped over her mouth, eyes as wide as they’d go.    
  


“Uh-” It was stilted, awkward “So, this is Karkat.” Shitty, as far as introductions go, but part of him could feel Karkat getting all prickly and defensive in the face of someone unfamiliar and utterly unwelcome. There was a distrust buried in the back of his mind, as if he’d hoped he wouldn’t be able to find it if he pushed it under the bed and shoved some blankets on top. He kept one hand on his snout, shifted slightly in front of him as if to put space between his saviour and his very, very perturbed dragon. 

_ “Oh wow.”  _ She breathed, had falling away from her mouth. 

“I can explain-” He lied. 

“Y’know,” Oh boy, “You could’ve mentioned the fact that your friend was a dragon. The stuff of story books! Oh wow, you’re just full of surprises!” She was practically vibrating with barely contained excitement, while Karkat was practically hissing like an angry cat. His hackles were raised, shoulders pulled back, posture tight and leant forwards as if ready to pounce within a moments notice. It would’ve been laughable, if the intent leering in the back of his mind wasn’t telling him that Karkat would absolutely jump to his defense if some part of him thought this girl to be any kind of threat. 

_ AND HOW, EXACTLY, DID YOU EXPECT HIM TO GO ABOUT DOING THAT.  _

_ THIS MAY SURPRISE YOU AND THOSE TWO BRAIN CELLS YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO RUB TOGETHER, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS A PILE OF GIGGLING HORESHIT PRONE TO REGURGITATING INFORMATION THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, ISN’T ANYONE ELSE'S FUCKING BUSINESS.  _

_ THERE IS NOT ONE SIMPERING MORTAL ON THIS PLANE THAT IS WORTHY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF MY EXISTENCE, OR ANY OF MY KIND, OTHER THAN THE FLESHY PINK MONSTROSITY YOU SEE BEFORE YOU.  _

_ BUT BY ALL MEANS, KEEP BLABBERING HORSESHIT LIKE A GAGGLING SCHOOL GIRL, I WILL USE YOUR BONES AS MY TOOTH PICK AND-  _

_ “ _ Chill.” A hand against his snout, putting an abrupt stop to what was beginning to sound like an actual threat. Not that Nepeta seemed to mind either way, if anything this just seemed to delight her, hands clasped behind her back. Apparently, Nepeta had no problem hearing him. 

“Oh wow, you talk more than he does!”  _   
_

_ DOUBTFUL. _

“Hey,” Dave tipped his head back, peering up at him with a distinct lack of patience. “I wouldn’t recommend grinding down the bones of the girl who’s responsible for continued existence, kept me from bleeding out against some traitorous rocks, hauled my dumb ass across the fucking countryside and-” Hesitation, “Brought me back to you.” 

He eyed her as if it was hard for him to believe that without significant evidence, with that lingering distrust that he wasn’t quite used to getting from him. 

“Sure did! Really wasn’t much trouble, I pawmise!” 

_ WHAT _

“Don’t ask.” 

_ THE FUCK.  _   


* * *

They spent the better part of the evening explaining themselves, bickering back and forth like a bunch of school children let out for recess just a little too early. Nepeta bounced off of Karkat just as easily as Dave did, as if she too, had known him for years. His prickly exterior didn’t seem to bother her, if anything, she seemed delighted by it. Something told him that there wasn’t much that could cause her to falter. It was an incredible sight to bare witness too, his winding frustration and her broad grins, giggles that curled into the air and left the mood surprisingly light.

It was refreshing. 

Apparently Karkat had spent the better part of the day soaring over the forest, the tips of his wings brushing the tips of the tallest pines on the downstroke while relentlessly searching for his lost half. It was nothing but that crowded panic, even as he spoke about it and even considered the thought of being without him. (A hand on his snout calmed the tides in the back of his mind, just as it always did.) Part of him ached to think of him spending all that time alone, worrying himself sick, convincing himself that the boy that had gotten all tangled up in his soul had fallen into a ravine and met his end without so much as a goodbye. It was mended, though. They found each other just as they always would, tied together by spirit if not by proximity. 

It was nearly dark when Nepeta announced that she must be heading back if she was to reach home by day break, insisting that she would be fine making the trek in the dark and didn’t need them to accompany her. He believed her. She bid her goodbyes and made them promise that she would see them again, under the threat of a pointed finger and bright, sharp green eyes. She did, however, swear that the knowledge of the continued existence of his kind would follow her to her grave. (Though, some part of his suspected that her sister would be hearing about this, but for some reason he didn’t have the heart to discourage that kind of thing.)

Part of him didn’t want to see her go, one of the only human beings he’d ever come into contact with since being locked away for some indiscernible reason. He found himself pulling her into a hug and pressing his nose into her mess of dark hair, which she warmly reciprocated. 

It wasn’t long before she’d disappeared into the trees and he’d climbed atop his dragon, perched on his shoulders and confronted with a feeling of belonging. This was where he was supposed to be, where he was always supposed to be. He was unbelievably relieved to hear the shuffling of wings, claws scraping on the push off. The stars above were breathtaking, as they soared beyond the mountains to find somewhere warm and dry to hunker down in for the remainder of the night. 

They had returned to a state of calm after such an uproarious storm, though some part of him knew that it couldn’t last.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It takes me six months to write the first two paragraphs then an hour to grind out the rest, what's a writing process lol. 
> 
> But I'm hoping to put out another lil extra thing tonight or tomorrow to make up for it! I'm super excited to get this chapter out and get this development out of the way, so we can get into the more nitty gritty 
> 
> as always your comments inspire me!! Thank you so much for the support when it is sorely needed


	6. Interlude- I don't count the days

_Thunder rumbled somewhere far above._

_The skies shook and come undone under the touch of an unforgiving god whilst adults with impure hearts spoke of things they hadn’t any right to. A child cowered within the dark confines of his bedroom, tucked in amongst soft linens and blankets woven by the finest hands one could find, put to bed by a woman whose warmth didn’t reach her eyes no matter how hard she tried._

_“He’s just a child!” Her voice pitched just a little too high, wavering with something unnameable._

_“A child with a bastards face,” It was cold, though this child had never known it to be anything else._

_They spoke of horrible, frightful things just a breath from his bedroom door, left open just a crack to let in the light and chase the monsters away. Though, as they would soon find out, the monsters were ever present and just feet away, not speaking nearly quiet enough._

_“You can’t just get rid of him, children aren’t disposable the moment they become a threat to your fucking ego.” There was an edge to her voice, her words slurring together and tripping over themselves in that way they always had, and that child had never known her to sound any different._

_“He’s a threat to everything! It was Seen, it was told, so it must be dealt with.” It was cold, calculating, it scared him much more than the monsters under his bed ever would._

 

* * *

 

The memory slipped through his fingers in the haze of a dream, replaced by a resonating feeling of emptiness and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Incoherently, it twisted out from beneath him and shifted into something else entirely.

 

* * *

 

_"Come, this way.”_   
_  
“I’m scared.” It was said in a way that only a child could, with a wetness around the vowels that suggested tears weren’t too far off._

_“I know, I know.” He always sounded so much more grown up than he actually was, like he always knew exactly what to do, no matter what. Of course he did- he was-_

_“Count your breath, remember? One, two,” He took the child’s hands in his own, warm, slightly bigger than his own but still so young. Dave counted as well as a child could, staggering, little feet pattering over the tile._

_“Whenever you’re afraid, when you’re alone, tell yourself you’re not afraid. Even if it’s not true, tell it to yourself until you believe it, because you’re strong.”_  
_  
“Like you?” It was such an innocent question, spoken with the kind of honesty only a child was truly capable of. It shouldn’t have given the older boy pause, but it did. He stopped at the end of the hall, lit dimly by candle light, to kneel before him and take both of his hands in his own._

_“You’re stronger than I could ever be,” The little boy opened his mouth to protest, but he shushed him before he could. “Say it, right now. Say it with me.”_

_“I’m not afraid, I’m strong. I’m not afraid.” He repeated it like a manta, even when the older boy rose to his feet and continued to pull him down the hall and the sweeping staircase by the hand._

_The next set of events were a blur of color and the lingering sense of panic, something that stuck to his mind like glue, something that always would._

_“You can’t have him.” It was said like a fact, like law._

_“Get out of my way.” Gritted teeth, unkind eyes. “I’ll deal with you later, ungrateful child.”_  
_  
“No.” It didn’t stop him, didn’t even make a dent._

_Hands slipped from his own, followed by a sense of panic that would never leave._

_“I’ll find you.”_  
  
_“I’m not afraid.”_  
_  
Cold, oppressive darkness._

 

* * *

 

That too, slipped away like a forgotten dream. Though, what followed wasn’t quite so oppressive.

 

* * *

 

 _“Come now, brother. It’s all in good fun.”_  
  
_“Your idea of fun isn’t the same as my idea of fun,” Arms crossed over his chest, lips pronounced in a childish pout. A small hand took his own, little fingers through his own and giving a tug he couldn’t argue with._  
 _  
“Don’t be such a stick in the mud,” She was always getting him involved in her little schemes, tugging him by the hand and sounding so much smarter, so much grown up, even though she really wasn't. He still trusted her, though, even if she did always get him in trouble._

_The kitchens were always so warm, the air smelling of sweets their authority figures would never allow them to have before dinner. They would slip by under the nose of the woman with round cheeks and kind eyes, supposedly. Though, their childish laughter always gave them away, though, who could say if she let them slip by with a missing cookie or two?_   
_  
They deserved all the laughter they could get, in her opinion._

_Dark days were coming for them, such innocent laughter would become but a forgotten memory._

_She would always tug him by the hand, and he would always follow, even if he complained a little. She would always be by his side, would always be there to explain things he didn’t understand, to whisper with him beneath the covers when one of them snuck from their beds._

_Always._

_Always, as it turns out, wasn’t nearly as long as he’d hoped._

 

* * *

 

As the nights wore on, it was getting harder to discern memory from hopeful dream. Whatever they were, they got fuzzy the longer he was awake, faces were forgotten and important moments were nothing but a vague concept. Warm eyes and kind hands, children's laughter, something important that he shouldn’t have forgotten, but it couldn’t be helped.

 

* * *

 

_“See, it isn’t so bad.” She always knew how to make him feel better, even when the tears wouldn’t stop and his little hands shook._

_“It hurts.” Hiccup-sob._

_“I know it does, but it’s okay!” The way she said it, just made it sound true. Of course it was, it had to be, she was always right and she would be the first to tell you so. “The hurt will go away, I promise.” Like a vow, something to never be broken, “And I’ll be here until it does.”_  
  
_“Promise?” Said with a shaky edge, swiping at his tear-streaked chubby cheeks with the back of his hand._

_“Promise.” She took one of his hands, and fiddled with his fingers until she coaxed him into raising one of his pinkys._

_“See, like this. It’s a pinky promise, it means that no matter what, you can’t break your promise. It’s forever, and it’s super special, okay?”_

_“Okay.” And so she hooked his pinky with her own, giving a good shake. Scraped knees and banged elbows forgotten, she took him in her arms and spun him around until he was laughing again, out in the gardens where nothing dark and dreary could touch them, any of them, no matter the ill intentions of others. It was a magic place, everyone needed a magic place, that’s what she always told him. She was always right, always told the truth, and always kept her promises._

_At least, in theory._

* * *

 

Consciousness came like a blessing and a curse, leaving him feeling bleary and disoriented without and apparent reason why. Those dreams would be forgotten the second someone decided that he ought to be preened, warm air ruffling his hair, poking and prodding at him until they were to continue their travels. He would not think to question such things until years later, until they became important, and urgent.

Until those little snippets meant everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're getting to the good stuff! I hope ya'll liked that little peak at Dave's past, because he sure didn't. 
> 
> More to come! Tune in next time

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to pick through this weird half-developed story I've had sitting in my docs since forever, should be multi-chaptered, should be decent. Let me know what you think!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [the water had caught fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17061380) by [bejeweeled](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bejeweeled/pseuds/bejeweeled)




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